Extractor claw construction for firearms



July 15, 1952 ELKAs 2,603,019

EXTRACTOR CLAW CONSTRUCTION FOR FIREARMS Filed Aug. 1, 1949 INVENTOR LOU/6 ELK/16 Patented July 15, 1952 Louis Elkas, Springfield, Mass, assignor to Savage Arms Corporation, Utica, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August 1, 1949, Serial No. 107,923

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to cartridge extractors for firearms and has for its object an improved claw. construction for the tips of extractor arms.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple claw construction of rugged and durable type in spring shell extractors which will avoid breakage in use and be highly efiicient and serviceable in operation.

.An example of a specific extractor construction to which this invention may be applied is thestructure disclosed in Patent No. 2,465,533, granted March 29, 1949, to Thomas R. Robinson.

A further object of this invention is to provide in extractors for breech loading bolt action guns an inexpensive structure to strengthen the extractor tip transversely and longitudinally for long and hard usage of the same.

In the prior art, as far as I am aware, extractor hooks or claws in the type of unit herein disclosed have been characterized by a sharp angular bend. The extractor unit is generally formed of spring steel hardened and tempered for toughness and durability. With a sharp angle of 90 or greater formed in the metal of the extractor arm a fracture at the bend results in almost every instance when produced under ordinary conditions. Hardening and tempering operations make the steel brittle to an extent sufficient to cause breakage of the hook arm at the bend. The breakage may occur when a cartridge sticks in the chamber or under ordinary circumstances. The sharp angular bend as will be realized creates a transverse strain and shearing force to break the metal at said bend.

It is therefore a further object of this invention to provide a claw construction in which the forces pulling against the resistance of a cartridge being extracted are applied substantially longitudinally of the extractor arm.

Other objects and advantages over prior extractor claw construction will be apparent in the following disclosure, in the drawings of which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a breech bolt having an extractor fitted thereon with the new tip and claw structure and showing a cartridge held on the face of the bolt;

Fig. 2 is a front end view of the bolt and extractor of Fig. 1 with cartridge removed;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the assembly of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the assembly of Fig. '1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the extractor embodying the novel claw construction;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view on enlarged scale showing the claw tip from the inside of the arm; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the claw to show details of construction.

In the drawings, the head of a cylindrical bolt iii of the type used in breech loading bolt action guns is shown with a locking lug H on the top thereof. lhe face I2 of the bolt (Fig. 2) is provided with an extended arcuate ledge l3 forming a cartridge receiving recess i i to receive rim :5 of a cartridge 16. The bolt head 59 has a usual firing pin opening I! leading to face l2. An ejector slot is shown as at IS in Fig. 2, all as will be readily understood.

In the peripheryof bolt head Ill, adjacent the rear of locking lug H, is a shallow band-receiving groove [9 extending circumferentially of the bolt for slightly more than half-way around it.

A longitudinal arm receiving groove 20, at one side of the bolt, extends from one end of the band-receiving groove is to the bolt face lz and a similar longitudinal arm receiving groove 2|, in the opposite side of the bolt, extends from the other end of the band-receiving groove H! to the bolt face [2.

Longitudinal grooves 28 and 2| are of tapering depth, being shallow at their rear ends and communicating with the band-receiving groove is, and deeper at their forward ends, which intersect the bolt face i2 on either side of and slightly spaced below ledge IS. The inward slope of longitudinal grooves 29 and 2! is for clamping and clearance purposes in the operation of flexible arms 22 and 23 of an extractor-24 as will be described.

Extractor 24, shown perspectivelyin Fig. 5, is of clip form with arms 22 and 23 extending substantially parallel and diametrically opposite each other from an arched or hoop-shaped clamping band 25. Arms 22 and 23 are normally bent inwardly as best shown in Fig. 3 and as indicated at 26 in Fig. 5. The extractor 24 preferably is made of spring steel, i. e. steel hav ing a high carbon content for toughness and hardened and tempered, to provide fiexure of the clamping band portion 25 in assembling the unit on the bolt and to provide fiexure of the arms 22 and 23 in handling of the cartridges.

The outer end or tip of extractor arm 22 is bent to form a V-shaped finger 21, with the apex of the V pointing inward and each side of approximately 45" slope. When the extractor 24 is placed on bolt head II] and clamping band aoaoie 22 is formed with a tip portion 28 to engage the rim I and with the new claw construction of the present invention.

At the outer end of arm 23 and at the intersection thereof with face l2 the tip portion is broadened to provide increased width. In out line, as shown by Figs. 4, 5, and '6, the tip is of an arrow head or generally triangular formation having an inner portion 29 and an angularly directed outer portion 32 with blunt end 30 and tapered side edges 31. The angular direction of the outer portion 32 is outwardly and away from the axis of the bolt at an angle of less than 45.

In the angularly bent outer portion 32 a generally triangular portion 33 of the metalis deformed as by a die punch to provide'an inwardly directed extractorclaw (Fig. 7). The hook 34 of theclaw is cut or ground from the base of the triangledeformation adjacent the angular bend line of the inner and outer tip portions. hook is in the form of an arcuate shelf, the edge of which is angled inwardly and rearwardly toward the axis of the bolt. In the operation of deforming and shaping the metal for the shelf a central cut-out results as at 35. This results as clearly shown by Fig. 7 in providing a positive rake to the claw hook to engage theinnershoulder of a cartridge rim or head in extracting th same from the firing chamber. V

It will be clearly seen from Fig.3 and the enlarged section of Fig.1? that the top surface of the triangular shell-like deformation is angularly shaped, having at its inner part an angular direction of 'substantiallyless than 45 to the axis of the bolt as at '36. The angular'direction of the outer part, as at 31, is equal to or slightly greater than a 45 angle to said bolt axia'the dotdash line in Figs. 3 and '7 indicating 'said 45 angle. w v

The angular direction of the clawtop surface along its center line, as shown by Fig. '7, is to permit operation of the extractor tip portion in the usual 45 fa e provided therefor in the chamber wall of the, firearm. 'As the 'cartridge is locked inthe chamber the tip '28rnay be slightly fiexe'dfin an outwardly direction torpush the'claw away from the cartridge rim. When the bolt is retracted after firing the cartridge the'upper portion '31 resting against the 45 chamber face insures the positive bite of the 11001;" 34 into the cartridge rim. There is no chance forsaid'hook tohang on the chamber faceand be sprung back as the bolt is withdrawn thus leaving a cartridge in the chamber. v u u 7 It will also be appreciated in the event a cartridge sticks for any reason in thefch'amber the positive rake of the claw will increase the bite as more resistanceis offered against extraction of'the cartridge. Y v u u u I The oppositely disposed arm 22 with its holding or positionin g finger tip'2'l iS'fOI' holding and positioning a cartridge as it is received from a usual spring operated clip into the rec'essed face [2 of the bolt. And on retraction of the bolt the The 4 tip 21 will enable an ejector sliding in slot 18 to pivot the empty cartridge shell on the claw hook and past the tip in kicking the cartridge from the usual ejector port.

It will be noted from a consideration of the above described construction that the force of theextraction with the new claw will be applied substantially lengthwise of the extractor arm 23 when the hook is engaged in the rim. The increased width of the inner portion 29 in the plane 'of the arm 23 strengthens the construction transversely.

Having disclosed my invention, I claim: 1.,In a cartridge extractor for firearms having a thin flexible arm adapted to be fastened to the breech bolt of the firearm longitudinally thereof; a cartridge engaging member comprising a section of the forward end of said arm, said section being provided with a cut extending transversely of the arm, that part of said section of the arm lying forwardly and between the ends tune but being struck inwardly beyond the "inner facebf the arm and forming an arcane claw, the'efitfre end portion of the section forwardly of "the but being angularly directed forwardly of the arm and outwardly of the plane thereof substantially from the line of said cut.

2. In a cartridge extractor for firearms having a thin flexible arm adapted to be fastene dito the breech bolt of the firearm longitudinally w ereas; a cartridge engaging member comprising ass tionof the forward endof said armJs'ai'd ection being provided with acut extending transversely ofthe arm, that'part of said Section of the aim lying forwardly and betweenthe end'sof'the out being struck inwardly beyond the inner-f the arm and forming'an arcuate claw, therearwardly facing edge of said arcuate claw subjstantially at right angles to the inner-surface of said arm, the entire end portion of the section forwardly of the out being angularly fdirted forwardly of the arm and outwardly o f 'the plane thereof substantially from the line of said ciit. 3 In a cartridge extractor for firearmshavi nfg a thin flexible armfadapted to befa'stene'd {to the breech bolt of the firearm longitudinally thereof; a cartridge enga'ging member comprising "a "section of the forward end of said-'arrn,sai'd sear-qr being of greater; transverse width than -s'aida fm and provided with-a cut extending transversely thereof, that part of said sectionbfthe armlyin'g forwardly and between the ends-"of the cut-"being struck inwardly beyond the-inner face 'of the arm and forming 'an'arcuate claw, the rearwardly facing edge of said arcuate claw beingsubstaintially at right "anglestothe inner surface of said arm, the entire endportionof thefsectionfofriwardly of the cut beingangularly directed wardly of thearm and outwardlybffthe thereof substantially --n'-om the linejo'f fsaid j cirt. LOUIS V itiii nnnnons CITED s The following references are or record in 'the file of this 'patenti UNITED STATES PATENTS Number I Name lf Date 804,699 Beiiqtf-it a1. -"Nov, {1A, 1995 2,465,553 -R0bl1'lSO I1'::: Mail'- 293 1949 

